


Remnant's Kitchen

by ChaoticEther



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-04 04:31:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17297810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticEther/pseuds/ChaoticEther
Summary: Blake and Yang have opened rival restaurants across the street from one another in Vale. At least, they would be rivals, if Yang didn't have a huge crush on the competition.





	1. Dorito Salads

**Author's Note:**

> I hate everything about this.

“Dorito salads? What the _fuck!?_ ” Yang exclaimed, reading over the menu at the place opposite hers. The best way to win, is, after all, to know your competition. For three years, that “upstart Belladonna” had beaten the most well-respected restaurant in the city in almost every foodie’s blog or newspaper column. _It’s not even food!_ She was arguing with herself, keeping up a polite smile for the white-haired waitress that came to take her order.  
“Hi! Welcome to the Menagerie Menu! What will you be having today?” Just as fake as her own staff. At least she wasn’t miles ahead in that department.  
“I’ll, uh, have whatever’s most popular.” Corporate espionage wasn’t exactly the blonde’s specialty, but she may as well start with the dish she’d seen the most people raving about. Half of this stuff made no sense to her, the strange combinations physically hurting to read. _At least when the fad wears off, I’ll still have a decent goddamn menu_ , she snickered, her pride refusing to let her truly admit defeat. But then she saw her. The girl from all the articles. In the kitchen. Head chef/owner of the restaurant, Blake Belladonna. And, with her raven-black hair tied into a ponytail that cascaded down her back, contrasting wonderfully with her whites, she was _so damn hot._

Letting her eyes wander, she took in the general atmosphere of the place. Upmarket, but at the same time comfortable. The customers weren’t particularly dressed up; sure, there was the occasional formal shirt or evening dress, but mixed in with that were families and even a few solo diners, like her. A fact she was silently thankful for based on her own attire. Her black tank top was the only thing she could put up with wearing in the summer heat, showing off all the tattoos she usually had hidden under her chef’s outfit. Having decided that shorts would be too informal, Yang dug around in the various pockets of her cargo pants before finding her Scroll and calling Ruby to make sure she was covering the evening service.  
“You know you could just ask her on a date, sis.” The innocent voice crackled slightly on the line as the blonde balled up her free hand.  
“I… That’s not-are you running service tonight or not?” She knew arguing against Ruby’s preconceived notions was futile, but she was also the only one Yang trusted with the restaurant besides herself.  
“Yeah. We’re not too busy, and Neptune’s got the bar under control. Enjoy yourself, Yang!” And with that, the call went silent. The waitress from earlier presented the bowl quietly, having noticed the scroll in her hand, as she absorbed the sight of the monstrosity before her. What looked like a whole fish rested atop a mountain of noodles, sitting in a dark brown broth along with some brightly coloured vegetables. Ramen, but not the type she preferred. _At least this is real food,_ she sighed, having half-expected one of the stranger items to be the most popular. Even partway through she’d conceded its quality, admittedly after convincing herself she wouldn’t be able to serve it in her own restaurant. Her lilac eyes darted back up towards the kitchen, refocusing on the girl who, based on her experience, should be stressed out and dabbing sweat off her brow. The fact she was smirking as she worked only infuriated the wannabe spy even more. What got to her more was that Blake kept glancing up at her, knowing full well the blonde was staring, before directing her attention back down to cooking and smiling slightly wider.

Several hours, and most of the menu later, Blake’s curiosity got the better of her, insisting on bringing the last dish out herself.  
“Well, it took you long enough! I had half a mind to just give her your number!” Weiss sighed, clearly waiting for this development all evening.  
“And make me miss out on the view from up close? I’d probably fire you for that.” Blake joked with her front of house, stealing another look at Yang from the kitchen before grabbing the plate and leaning on the door to push it open. A mountain of nachos, lettuce and cheese, all drowning in yoghurt sauce. For most people it was an abomination, but for Blake, it reminded her of home. The occasional faunus guest ordered it too, and she made a point of going out to see them and talk to them. She knew what it was like to be homesick. Every time she missed her parents at culinary school, she’d make it. But, now wasn’t the time to reminisce. This time the monster had a mission: Get her a date with Miss. Xiao-Long.

Even as she walked over, the blonde was fixated on her as she did her best to make it look like she was analysing her tattoos instead of her cleavage. Not that the former wasn’t noteworthy; her clothing choice was practically begging her to look at both, after all. Yang feigned indifference as the plate slid in front of her, her face still impossible to read. As for her eyes, they were a much different story. She wasn’t here to steal the place’s secrets, even if that’s what she was telling herself. Yang was there to provoke Blake. And it was working. Instead of going back to the kitchen, she pulled the opposite chair out from under the table, perching neatly on it in stark contrast to the other’s slouch. Sliding her hat off, she placed it under her leg before making sure she directed Yang’s attention to her cat ears, twitching now that they were free. The faunus pulled the meal to the centre of the table before letting her hair loose and fiddling with the buttons on her whites. With another trademark grin, Blake handed her uniform to Weiss, sitting back down in black t-shirt and trousers before even attempting to make conversation,  
“It’s comfort food.”  
“Wh-what?” Yang spluttered, still entirely confused by the development.  
“All the stuff we make. We make it look a little fancy, but it’s still things you could’ve had at home in Menagerie.” The faunus rested her chin in her free hand, using the other to pick up a fork and lazily shovel a mouthful of nachos and salad leaves into her mouth, refusing to break eye contact with her dinner guest. “I’ll be the first to admit it, our food isn’t better than yours. But it has me, and, judging by the way you’ve been staring all night, you want me as well.” The remark landed perfectly, with Yang hiding her reddened cheeks behind a glass of wine. Using the food as an excuse to buy her time to formulate a response, the blonde finally replied,  
“I was… Watching you cook, yeah. What better way to beat the competition than by learning how it works?”  
“First, maybe don’t tell them you’re spying. Second, you’re a terrible liar.” Blake stopped, using her own fork to feed Yang like it was going to help her next point. “Lastly, _no one_ orders this. It’s on the menu because I like it. Bet you don’t get to do that at your place, eh?” She returned to eating herself, still smiling as her impromptu date did the same.  


Despite the questionable ingredients, the rival didn’t stop eating it. In fact, she was almost tempted to order another, if only to keep the girl sitting opposite her around. But, judging by the chairs stacked up or flipped over around them, the restaurant was well past closing, the only remaining staff being Weiss, who hovered in the kitchen doorway with a glass of water, silently judging from afar. Looking at the empty bowl between them, the faunus caught Yang’s attention by dropping her fork into it,  
“So, what do you think?” Asked with a sincerity the latter hadn’t heard in her voice before now.  
“It’s… Weirdly good. Not something I’d order ever again, though.” Now it was her turn to play with Blake’s feelings. “Because you’d make it without me asking, right?” The look she shot the raven-haired girl was practically sinister, basking in her induced red glow.  
“I-is that your way of a-asking me out?” Blake stammered, losing her cool slightly. Yang calmly reached into her pocket and produced a thick felt-tip pen, pulling the cap off with her teeth and handing it over.  
“Anywhere is fine,” She mumbled, holding the cap in her mouth and presenting a thoroughly inked arm for her to write on. Standing up to reach, Blake pondered where to write for a while before picking one of the sparse blank patches between what looked like her own emblem and a red rose. It was only when Weiss sighed behind them that they remembered the time, both chuckling before leaving, with Blake staying behind to wait for her roommate.  
“You are _not_ bringing her back to our apartment. She’ll just make a mess!” Weiss sneered, pulling the shutter down with one hand.  
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll keep the mess… Contained. To the kitchen. Maybe the kitchen and the bedroom.” Weiss shivered at the remark, accompanied by a somewhat deserved ‘eugh,’ before Blake carried on, “You’re just jealous because her cute waitress hasn’t asked you out yet~” A shot that her friend responded to by flipping her off, already some distance ahead. She was struggling against skipping the whole walk back, worried it might contrast with her aesthetic. But the moment she got home, she was staring at her scroll until it rang, lighting up with an unknown number.  
“Hey, uh, Belladonna-? I know we both don’t open tomorrow night, so…” Yang hesitated,   
“Yes!” The faunus interrupted, knowing what the end of the sentence would be.  
“Really? I could’ve been asking you to come to my murder house, you know.”  
“ _Or_ you’ve had this really cute date planned for months and were working up the courage to ask me about it?” The grunt on the other end made her smirk in victory. “See you tomorrow!” The only response she got was a slightly cheerful ‘bye,’ but she couldn’t hide her excitement as she pranced around the house. _Hopefully, this date is the first of many._


	2. The Cat Gets the Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang goes to meet Blake at her apartment, and make her a meal she hopefully won't forget

_She’s pescatarian. You’ll thank me for this later._  
Yang stared, bleary-eyed at her scroll, trying to decipher the message from an unknown number. Of course, she knew exactly who it was about, but who would be texting her about it? Further still, _who the fuck sends a text like that at 7AM?_ Both would go unanswered as she stared at the number on her arm for a brief moment, bunching her golden hair together and putting it up into a ponytail.  
“Maybe you should get it put there permanently,” Ruby joked, the amused lilt to her voice making the early start slightly more bearable.  
“I might.” Yang replied, sharp as ever. She’d only spoken to Blake once, and yet the idea was almost appealing. Something on the outside to match the imprint already burning itself onto her heart, stealing her blood like it was always hers to begin with and Yang had just taken custody until they met again. “You think Sun would do it?”  
“He’s done worse!” Ruby’s hand darts to the red and white pattern on her collarbone, recalling everything she could about their mother. And how it hurt like a bitch for days afterwards.  
“Hey, uh, when you go shopping, do you think you could get me some tuna? It’s for a date.” Yang tacked on the explanation almost as an afterthought, as though Ruby wouldn’t already know exactly why she wanted it.  
“ _A_ date? You asked her?” The younger sister’s mocking tone earned her a pair of rolled eyes.  
“Asked… Isn’t how I’d put it. We shared some food, she wrote her number on my arm, we’re meeting up again tonight.” Yang smirked, seeing an opportunity to make her sister uncomfortable as payback. “Tonight, we’re gonna share more than food, and drizzle honey-” Ruby’s arms shot up across her chest to form an ‘X’, indicating she didn’t want to hear any more about what things Yang _might_ be into.

Weiss sighed and threw her scroll onto the couch after sending the text. _Someone_ had to tell her before she turned up with something Blake wouldn’t eat. And Weiss just _knew_ she’d insist on turning up with ingredients or something she’d made earlier. Yang wasn’t the type to go on fancy dinners, even though she owned such a place herself. Perhaps in spite of that. After all, Weiss wasn’t too fond of upmarket restaurants either, a distaste instilled into her by her father. A random cart in the street was a much better date, and, in her opinion, far more romantic; spending a night gazing up at the sky, lost in her date’s silver eyes. Not that she had anyone in mind, of course. Her mind was dragged from the daydream by the raven-hair and cat ears making their presence known on the room’s other sofa, hopping over the armrest and stretching her legs out across its length.  
“Am I interrupting?” Blake yawned, stretching and revealing her shorts underneath a black dressing gown. “Please, continue. Your fantasies are _much_ more entertaining than the TV, I’m sure.” The biting sarcasm didn’t disappear even after she’d just woken up.  
“Just because you’re living yours.” Weiss sighed, lamenting her own lack of confidence. “Coffee?”  
“Tea.” The faunus lazily lifted her scroll to read the messages she’d gotten. Ren saying he’s good to cover for Weiss tonight, Nora slightly annoyed about Blake ‘stealing Ren on his night off,’ followed by a simple  
_is it bc Weiss finally asked out the cutie sous-chef from across the street?_ She chuckled; even her icy exterior gave away her interests.  
_No, but I’m hoping the time off convinces her to do that!_  
“What’s so funny?” The topic of conversation called from the kitchen, slight irritation already settling in her voice.  
“Just… Nora being Nora.” She stopped herself from going too far, keeping her cards firmly to her chest. While Weiss being at work would keep her out of the house for her date, she had a hunch the Ice Queen would want to do that anyway. Especially given Yang’s… Chaotic tendencies. It’s a miracle she even runs such a tight ship over at Bourdon when she’s such a mess in every other aspect. Although she looked right at home in the chaos, blonde hair sitting _just so_ along her shoulders and down her back. Perhaps she needed a little of that in her life, something wild and untamed to throw her life into disarray, help her forget all the scars and souvenirs of her time with Adam at the White Fang. But what she really needed right now was the tea Weiss had just placed in her hands, taking a long sip before announcing the good news.  
“Ren said he’ll cover for tonight. That means you get to stay and watch us make out.” Delivered without a hint of a joke. At the very least, her roommate admired the dry wit even if she wasn’t willing to admit it from behind a scowl.  
“Ugh. I’m going out anyway.”  
“That’s a shame. I was thinking about a threesome.” Her ears perked up slightly, betraying the rest of her stone-faced seriousness about the offer. Weiss simply sighed, opting to down her coffee and leave the faunus alone for a lot longer than her date.

“Are you sure you know how to make that?” Ruby questioned, Yang only returning a horrified look that she even asked the question.  
“Of course I can! Tuna casserole isn’t that hard. I think.” Unconfident wasn’t a tone that suited her, but it was clear she was a little out of her depth for this practice run. Ruby worked diligently on the countertop opposite her, backs to each other, adding ingredients without even stopping to measure them and somehow getting the proportions perfect. A gift she’d inherited from her mother. Perfect cookies every time, and an alarming ability to do it without even looking like she was trying, smiling as she heaped chocolate chips into the dough and hummed a familiar tune. Meanwhile, Yang was layering half of the pasta she’d made, along with the tuna she’d bought, into a dish before topping with breadcrumbs. She looked back at the number on her arm, slightly faded after a shower and washing her hands for meal prep. Seeing a few of the numbers cracked and faded reminded her of Blake a little, the implication of a mystery she might have to spend her entire life piecing together just like the remnants of the contact details on her arm, nestled squarely between her and Ruby’s icons. Every tattoo she got reminded her of something, or someone; a winged eye in memory of her estranged mother, the crossed knives of the Vale Culinary School, a bee to commemorate the opening of her restaurant. Her scroll buzzed in her pocket, a selfie of herself and Sun from a party last year taking up the screen, swiftly replaced by the image he’d sent. A panther, midnight black and standing proud atop a branch, coupled with a message:  
_Had an idea for that back tattoo you always wanted! Srsly, congrats on the date Yang._  
She didn’t reply, instead turning to her sister with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.  
“You told _Sun!?_ ”  
“W-we were talking about cool tattoo designs and we, uh, we got side-tracked. Yeah.” Even Ruby didn’t believe the words as she said them, trying her best to pull a serious face.  
“ _Ruby.”_ Yang repeated, firmer now.  
“Okay, alright! He wanted to know how you were doing. You know, after the whole thing with your Mum-” The younger sibling was interrupted, thankfully, by the oven timer. Her cookies were impeccable, as always, and Yang’s casserole wasn’t half bad. Whether it would be up to Blake’s assumed exacting standards was a question for tonight, however.

Yang fiddled with the sleeves of her leather jacket as she waited for Blake to come to the door in a vain attempt to work out some of the nervous energy, she’d built up on the walk over. Energy that quadrupled the moment she saw Blake’s clothing choice for the evening. A red and black checked flannel that hung loose off her shoulders, contrasted with a fitted black band t-shirt tucked into three-quarter length skinny jeans and a smile that could probably kill if she so chose. _At least neither of us are being subtle_ , Yang figured, towering over her in her jacket, button-down purple shirt and denim shorts, with a few extra inches on Blake than last time from her boots until she kicked them off in the entrance. Handing the bag of ingredients to her date, she hung her jacket by the door and noted the pair of white sneakers that she assumed must belong to Blake’s roommate.  
“So, what’re you making me?” The faunus asked, lifting the various containers out of the bag.  
“You think that just because I brought ingredients means I’m cooking? It’s my night off, I might wanna do something else.” Yang argued half-heartedly.  
“Oh, really? What did you have in mind?” Blake teased, making sure her company noticed the glance down to her lips, then chest, composure not even close to breaking. “I’m sure _I_ can think of something, but I’d like to know if you’re on the same page.” Yang tried her best to resist the urge, to win the battle, but it was futile; her eyes shot down Blake’s figure, biting her lip before replying,  
“I’d… R-rather eat first. Tuna casserole?” Seeing those golden eyes shine brighter than the Sun was confirmation enough, but Blake’s ears perking up and a nod reaffirmed her approval of the suggestion. As was the fact she watched Yang prepare the food intently, for a minute or so, at least. She began rummaging around in the fridge, mumbling little ‘aha!’s when she found the things she was looking for.  
“You like beef ramen, right?” She questioned, already knowing the answer. Yang simply nodded, busy prepping the casserole. “Good. I’ll make you some. Weiss can have what’s left, since I-”  
“Only eat fish” the pair chorused, Yang placing the oven mitts back on the counter and turning to Blake.  
“So it was Weiss who texted me at some ungodly hour this morning.” The blonde continued, satisfied with the new explanation.  
“Sorry about that,” her date brought a hand to her other arm, rubbing the elbow like there was an unseen injury, “she means well, but she’s not the best when it comes to people. Outside of work, anyway.” After the sudden shift in mood, Blake smiled once more, pulling Yang’s arm and unbuttoning the sleeve to roll it back and make sure the number was still there. She didn’t expect it to be perfectly intact, and it definitely wasn’t, but she hadn’t made sure to wash it away either. In a way, it spoke to her more this way. Incomplete and broken, but begging to be fixed. Yang could only watch, enraptured in how her gaze softened as she looked at such a simple thing as a number, practically buried in the rest of the ink on her arms yet somehow standing out against all of it. How her heart felt like it was about to burst through her chest with Blake so close. Like somehow this was _supposed_ to happen.  
“My ramen will be better than your casserole.” Blake interjected, snapping Yang back to reality.  
“Is _everything_ going to be a competition with you?” Yang huffed mockingly, pouting at the suggestion.  
“Only if you want it to be. Last I checked my restaurant’s still more popular than yours.”  
“Fine. Everything’s a competition it is.” Neither of them was being entirely serious, but the look they shared was so intense it could only be competition or love. Blake, at the very least, hoped for the latter. She couldn’t tell which one Yang was after, eyes burning a fiery red but staying firmly locked with hers. Until she had to lift the casserole out of the oven, anyways. Neither was particularly a fan of talking while eating, so chatter was relegated to until the pair had finished.  
“My sister said I should get your number permanently inked on my arm, you know.” She joked, but there was a hint of seriousness to the idea, like she’d already be getting it done if Blake only said the words.  
“Maybe you should. I only have one tattoo myself. But I can’t show you until you answer the next question.” Blake whispered, sidling up against her date and letting their eyes meet once again. A gentle kiss, only lips, but it perfectly asked and answered the question as Yang leaned further into it, trying to get lost in the moment, in Blake. Giggling, she took the blonde’s hands into her own, guiding her down the hall to her bedroom.  
“You know I wasn’t kidding when I said _everything_ would be a competition, Belladonna.” Yang’s laughter joined Blake’s, following her through the open door.

**Author's Note:**

> Turns out this is actually great for clearing my mind, so there's probably gonna be random short stories in the AU added as chapters every so often.


End file.
